Research group of Functional Morphology, Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, Belgium.
Gait Posture. 2010 Oct;32(4):547-51. doi: 10.1016/j.gaitpost.2010.07.018.
The objective of this study was to demonstrate specific differences in gait patterns between those with and without a visual impairment. We performed a biomechanical analysis of the gait pattern of young adults (27 ± 13 years old) with a visual impairment (n=10) in an uncluttered environment and compared it to the gait pattern of age matched controls (n=20). Normally sighted adults were tested in a full vision and no vision condition. Differences are found in gait between both groups and both situations. Adults with a visual impairment walked with a shorter stride length (1.14 ± 0.21m), less trunk flexion (4.55 ± 5.14°) and an earlier plantar foot contact at heel strike (1.83 ± 3.49°) than sighted individuals (1.39 ± 0.08 m; 11.07 ± 4.01°; 5.10 ± 3.53°). When sighted individuals were blindfolded (no vision condition) they showed similar gait adaptations as well as a slower walking speed (0.84 ± 0.28 ms(-1)), a lower cadence (96.88 ± 13.71 steps min(-1)) and limited movements of the hip (38.24 ± 6.27°) and the ankle in the saggital plane (-5.60 ± 5.07°) compared to a full vision condition (1.27 ± 0.13 ms(-1); 110.55 ± 7.09 steps min(-1); 45.32 ± 4.57°; -16.51 ± .59°). Results showed that even in an uncluttered environment vision is important for locomotion control. The differences between those with and without a visual impairment, and between the full vision and no vision conditions, may reflect a more cautious walking strategy and adaptive changes employed to use the foot to probe the ground for haptic exploration.
本研究的目的是展示视力障碍者和非视力障碍者之间步态模式的具体差异。我们对 10 名视力障碍的年轻成年人（27 ± 13 岁）在无障碍环境中的步态模式进行了生物力学分析，并将其与年龄匹配的对照组（20 名）的步态模式进行了比较。正常视力的成年人在全视觉和无视觉条件下接受了测试。在这两种情况下，两组之间的步态都存在差异。视力障碍者的步幅较短（1.14 ± 0.21m），躯干前屈度较小（4.55 ± 5.14°），足跟触地时足部跖屈角度较早（1.83 ± 3.49°），而正常视力者的步幅较长（1.39 ± 0.08 m；11.07 ± 4.01°；5.10 ± 3.53°）。当正常视力者被蒙上眼睛（无视觉条件）时，他们也表现出类似的步态适应，以及较慢的步行速度（0.84 ± 0.28 ms(-1)）、较低的步频（96.88 ± 13.71 步 min(-1))和髋关节在矢状面的运动受限（38.24 ± 6.27°）和踝关节在矢状面的运动受限（-5.60 ± 5.07°），与全视觉条件相比（1.27 ± 0.13 ms(-1)；110.55 ± 7.09 步 min(-1)；45.32 ± 4.57°；-16.51 ±.59°）。结果表明，即使在无障碍环境中，视觉对于运动控制也很重要。视力障碍者和非视力障碍者之间，以及全视觉和无视觉条件之间的差异，可能反映了更谨慎的行走策略和适应性变化，以利用足部触觉探索地面。
